Colmenares urged government to act vs newcastle virus

TARLAC City – Makabayan senatorial bet Rep. Neri Colmenares today said that the national government should take a more pro-active stance against the Newcastle virus affecting game fowls and chickens in Tarlac and other provinces in Central Luzon.

“What the national government through the Department of Health (DOH) and the Department of Agriculture (DA) can do is to vaccinate the chickens in the region so that the virus would be contained and would not spread to other areas,” Colmenares said.

The Newcastle disease virus (NDV) is spread primarily through direct contact between healthy birds and the infected birds through their droppings and secretions from the nose, mouth, and eyes. NDV spreads rapidly among birds kept in confinement, such as commercially raised chickens.

“The private sector has already spearheaded such a program and I think that their efforts can be augmented by the government,” Colmenares added.

“With this initiative our livestock farmers will also be protected as well as the supply of chicken and its price,” he added.

“Ultimately this will protect consumers and educate our countrymen on the Newcastle virus,” said Colmenares.

“Agricultural and livestock support is a must for genuine agrarian reform or the free distribution of land to farmers. After the free distribution of land government should have an extensive agricultural and livestock support like free irrigation, seeds, farm machineries for cooperatives and the like,” ended Colmenares./PT